Is Gold Jewellery Waterproof?

Yes! Solid gold jewellery is waterproof. You can wear it in the shower, wash up in it, swim in it. The gold itself is not damaged by water. This is one of the things that makes gold such a good material for everyday jewellery - it requires almost no maintenance.

But there's more to it than a straight yes, so let me give you the full picture.

Why gold is fine in water

Gold is chemically stable. It doesn't rust, it doesn't oxidise, and it doesn't react with water. This is true whether the water is from a tap, a swimming pool, or the sea. The metal itself is unchanged by contact with water.

This is why gold has been used for jewellery for thousands of years, worn continuously, including in bathing cultures across the ancient world. It's not a fragile material.

The key difference is solid gold versus plated.

The reason this question comes up is that a lot of jewellery sold as 'gold' is actually gold-plated - a thin layer of gold over a base metal, usually brass or copper. Plated jewellery is not waterproof in any meaningful long-term sense. Water, sweat, and daily wear erode the plating over time, and once it goes you're wearing base metal.

Solid gold - 9ct, 18ct - goes all the way through. There's no layer to wear away. What you see is what you get.

If you're not sure whether something is solid or plated, the hallmark is your answer. A UK hallmark stamped by an Assay Office confirms the metal purity of the whole piece.

What to be aware of

A few things are worth knowing even with solid gold:

Chlorine in swimming pools won't damage the gold itself, but over a long period it can affect the alloy metals mixed with the gold, particularly in 9ct pieces. If you swim daily, you might notice the surface dulling slightly faster than it otherwise would. Nothing irreversible - a repolish sorts it.

Saltwater is similar. Fine for occasional wear, but if you're surfing every day in 9ct gold earrings, they might need more polishing attention than a pair worn mostly on dry land.

Any stone settings in a piece are worth being more careful with. The gold mount will be fine in water; some stones are more sensitive (pearls especially don't like prolonged soaking). If a piece has stones, check the specific stone before swimming in it.

For daily life - showering, washing up, rain, hand-washing - solid gold jewellery is completely fine. You don't need to take it off. Most of my pieces are made to be worn this way.

If I make something with a delicate stone setting or a more complex closure, I'll say so. Otherwise, assume it's there for the long haul.